The daughter of an army officer father and a schoolteacher, Elizabeth Hurley’s early ambitions were to be a dancer after winning a scholarship to the London Studio Centre.

Hurley made her screen debut in ’Aria’ in 1987, followed by several roles in television. A part in 'Passenger 57’, alongside Wesley Snipes, in 1992 marked the start of a Hollywood career that soon became overshadowed by her personal life.

Attending the London premiere of ’Four Weddings and a Funeral’ with her then boyfriend Hugh Grant, Hurley stunned the crowds and awaiting media by wearing a black Versace dress that was held together by safety pins. However, the media attention turned from good to bad when Grant was arrested with a prostitute in L.A in 1995. Despite the controversy over their split, the two remain firm friends.

Having survived the press scrutiny, she became the spokesmodel for Estée Lauder, and went on to produce the films ’Extreme Measures’ and 'Mickey Blue-Eyes’. While still starring in films such as ’ The Spy Who Shagged Me’, Elizabeth Hurley has never quite managed to attain great acting successes.

In 2002, she gave birth to a baby boy, Damian Charles, and hit the headlines once more when multi-millionaire Steve Bing initially denied being the father. However, a DNA test established the Hollywood producer, who is the grandson of New York real estate magnate Leo Bing, as the child's father.

In March 2007, Hurley married Indian businessman Arun Nayar in a secret service in Gloucestershire. The couple decided to keep the ceremony private so held it one day early but with only the guests being informed of this change in date. Hurley contracted an exclusive magazine deal with magazine Hello!, thought to be worth £2 to 5 million with the overall cost of the wedding being estimated at a total of £2 million.

The wedding festivities continued in Mumbai, India where they joined a private celebration held at Juhu Beach before moving on to Jodhpur, India. In Jodhpur, they held a private Hindu ceremony held at Umaid Bhawan Palace, where she wore a sari made especially by Donatella Versace.

An astute businesswoman, the actress-model has also made a splash on the fashion scene with her eponymously named swimwear line, Elizabeth Hurley Beach. She also has a 400-acre organic farm in Barnsley, Gloucestershire, where she lives with her family and produces agricultural produce including beef, wheat and oats. Ever the entrepreneur, Hurley is partnering with the Prince of Wales through his company Duchy Originals to produce a range of healthy and organic food together.

Despite her demanding social and personal engagements, the model is also keen to give back to the community and is the president of the charity Hop Skip and Jump, which provides day care for children with special needs and support for their families. In November 2010, Hurley attended the Houses of Parliament where she spoke about the need for more relief day care.

At 45, the versatile star still commands attention and admiration and was ranked ninth in the 2010 People Star celebrity magazine's The World's Most Beautiful Women league table, with her sex appeal and charisma being cited as her one of her strengths.